Composite three dimensional picture

ABSTRACT

A composite pictorial representation having a three dimensional effect, which comprises a relatively deep frame structure adapted to receive and enclose a relatively thick composite picture that is made from a number of copies of a photograph or the like having background, middle ground and foreground subject matter therein, and wherein certain copies of the photograph are cut or trimmed so that only the middle ground and foreground subject matter remain, and the middle ground and foreground portions are attached in overlying spaced relation to a whole copy having the background thereon. The resulting composite pictorial representation has the background, middle ground and foreground portions of the photograph appearing in successively forwardly spaced relation to provide a visual three dimensional effect.

United States Patent Scheyer Aug. 5, 1975 COMPOSITE THREE DIMENSIONALPICTURE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS France 161/18 625,095 6/1949United Kingdom 35/26 Primary Examiner-Harland S. Skogquist Attorney,Agent, or FirmWolfe, Hubbard, Leydig. Voit & Osann, Ltd.

[57] ABSTRACT A composite pictorial representation having a threedimensional effect, which comprises a relatively deep frame structureadapted to receive and enclose a re1atively thick composite picture thatis made from a number of copies of a photograph or the like havingbackground, middle ground and foreground subject matter therein. andwherein certain copies of the photograph are cut or trimmed so that onlythe middle ground and foreground subject matter remain, and the middleground and foreground portions are attached in overlying spaced relationto a whole copy having the background thereon. The resulting compositepictorial representation has the background, middle ground andforeground portions of the photograph appearing in successivelyforwardly spaced relation to provide a visual three dimensional effect.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED AUG 5 I975 SHEET PATENTEI] AUG51975 SHEET COMPOSITE THREE DIMENSIONAL PICTURE This is a division ofapplication Ser. No. 307,476, filed Nov. I7, 1972.

This invention generally relates to pictorial representations and, morespecifically, to pictorial representations having a three dimensionaleffect.

Virtually everyone who experiments in photography and who tries tocapture and preserve a fond moment occasionally attains an unusuallysurprising result. In some instances, such extraordinary pictures maywar rant additional treatment to highlight or emphasize the subjectmatter of the photography and provide a unique display.

Accordingly, it is a primary objection of the present invention toprovide a pictorial representation of a photograph or the like, whichhas a three dimensional effect, thus giving the subject matter of thephotograph or the like an interesting and unusual impact.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compositepictorial representation having a three dimensional effect that is madefrom multiple copies of a photograph or the like for which the threedimensional effect is to be achieved.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a compositepictorial representation having a three dimensional effect by cuttingindividual copies of the photograph or the like so that middle groundand foreground portions of the subject matter of the photograph remainfrom separate copies which are attached together so that the background,middle ground and foreground subject matter appear in successivelyforwardly spaced layers to provide a visual three dimensional effect ofthe subject matter of the photograph.

Yet another object of the present invention lies in the provision formerging the successive layers together in a manner which simulates thenatural continuity of the subject matter of the photograph.

Still another object of the present invention lies in the provision forbending the foreground subject matter to simulate the natural curvatureof the subject matter of the photograph.

A further object is to provide a method for making a composite pictorialrepresentation having a three dimensional effect, which is relativelyeasily made and can thereby be made by individuals in their home. Stillanother object is to provide a composite picture having a threedimensional effect which can be inexpensively produced.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent upon reading the following detailed description, whilereferring to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a pictorial representation embodying thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pictorial representationillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pictorial representation shown inFIG. 1;

FIGS. 4-6 are cross sectional views taken generally along the lines 4-6,respectively of FIG. 3; and,

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken generally along the line 77 ofFIG. 1.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative forms, a specific embodiment thereof has been shown by wayof example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. Itshould be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit theinvention to the particular form disclosed but, on the contrary, theintention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternativesfalling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in theappended claims.

Turning now to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, there isshown a pictorial representation embodying the present invention whichin this particular instance illustrates a boy swinging a bat whiletrying to hit a pitched ball, and also shows a number of spectatorsviewing the action in front of several parked cars. The particularsubject matter of the pictorial representation is, of course. of littlesignificance except insofar as it provides subject matter for which thepresent invention may be described.

To provide the visual three dimensional effect of the subject matter ofthe picture which may be a photograph or other type of picture which iscapable of being easily reproduced on relatively thin material so thatit may easily cut and bent. An individual who wishes to provide thethree dimensional effect for a photograph may easily have multiplecopies made at an appropriate photographic establishment and, in thisconnection, it is preferred that three or more identical copies besecured for use in making the composite picture of the presentinvention.

To make the composite pictorial representation I0 of present invention,the subject matter of the picture to which the three dimensional effectis to be achieved is catagorized as to background, middle ground andforeground subject matter in a manner which generally reflects thecontent of the picture itself. Thus, in the picture illustrated in FIG.1, trees 12, automobiles 14 as well as the ground or earth I6 of thepicture may broadly be defined to comprise the background subjectmatter, while the spectators I8, 20 and the ball 22 may be catagorizedas comprising middle ground subject matter. The boy swinging the bat,indicated generally at 24, would in this instance, be the foregroundsubject matter of the photograph and comprises the primary subjectmatter of the picture.

Broadly stated, the pictorial representation 10 of the present inventioncomprises attaching a first copy 26 to a backing material 27 which maybe attached to a slightly larger sheet of backing material 28 forengaging an outer frame 30 as will more fully be explained hereinafter.The middle and foreground subject matter of the picture is given threedimensional effect by taking other copies of the picture and trimmingaway everything so that only the middle ground and foreground subjectmatter remains and thereafter applying said middle ground subject matterin spaced relation but overlying the picture copy 26 that has beenattached to the backing material 27. Similarly, the foreground subjectmatter is attached in spaced relation to the middle ground subjectmatter so that it overlies the background and middle ground subjectmatter, with the result that the background, middle ground andforeground subject matter of the picture appears in successivelyforwardly spaced relation and thereby gives a visual three dimensionaleffect. As can be seen from FIG. 1, viewing the completed pictorialrepresentation from a point immediately in front of the representationfails to disclose the intermediate layers beneath the most forwardlayer, while the perspective view of FIG. 3

which is a view from an angle illustrates the succes sively spaced apartsubject matter of the picture.

To attach the cut out subject matter of the picture to the backgroundpicture 26, it is preferred to use lightweight pieces of spacer material32 which may comprise material such as balsa wood, foamed styreneplastic or other lightweight plastic. It is preferred that the picturecopies be of a material which easily accepts commonly used adhesive sothat the spacers can be easily glued to the picture material. Thespacers should be of sufficiently small dimensions so they are noteasily seen when the completed composite pictorial representation isviewed at a slight angle.

As can be seen from the exploded perspective view shown in FIG. 2, thebackground is shown to be the subject matter within bracket 34 and theforeground subject matter within the bracket 36.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, theforeground as well as the middle ground of the subject matter may beslopingly merged into adjacent layers. With respect to the boy 22 whohas left and right legs 40, 42, right and left arms 42, 44 and a torso46, this merging effect is shown in FIG. 4, for example, with respect tothe right leg 40 of the boy 22, and in FIGS. 2 and 7 wherein the rightand left arms 42, 44 are shown to slopingly engage one another tosimulate the natural continuity of the subject matter of the picture.Moreover, another copy of the picture may be trimmed to leave certainpreselected portions of the foreground subject matter, such as the leftarm of the boy 44 and may be attached using a spacer 32 to simulate thenatural three dimensional appearance of the subject matter of thepicture. Thus, in this instance, it can be easily visualized that theleft arm and shoulder would be closer to the viewer and accordingly thatportion may be spaced away from the rest of the body of the boy toprovide further realism or depth to the subject matter of the picture.As is shown in FIG. 7, the outermost left arm 44 is also convenientlysloped toward the adjacent foreground subject matter near the hand tosimulate the natural continuity of the position of the hands, since theleft and right arms naturally hold the bat in the same plane.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, it ispreferred that the spacer material be somewhat deformable underreasonable pressure so that the sloping of the foreground and middleground materials can be relatively easily performed. In this connection,balsa wood and expanded or foamed styrene plastic are materials whichare capable of such deformability.

In keeping with the invention, the portions of the composite pictorialrepresentation that are viewed from the front may also be deformed orcurved to simulate the natural curvature of the subject matter of thepicture to promote additional realism or depth as, for example, bendingthe torso 46 arms, legs and head of the boy to simulate the expectednatural curvature of the body. This effect can be easily achieved bymanipulating the cut out portions either before or after they have beenattached.

After the composite picture has been assembled it is only necessary toinsert it in the frame structure 30 which should be sufficiently deep toaccommodate the relatively thick pictorial representation 10 and whichmay include a sheet of transparent material, such as glass 50 or thelike positioned near the front thereof to prevent dust fromaccummulating on the pictorial representation as well as prevent curiousonlookers from damaging the end resultv The frame may have a cut outportion 52 with a land area 54 adapted to engage the additional backinglayer 28 to support the composite pictorial representation in the frameand may be secured in the frame structure 30 through the use ofconventional nails or staples, 56 or the like. Similarly, thetransparent piece of glass or the like 50 may be held in the framestructure through the use of small nails or the like which hold thepiece 50 against a land area 60 as shown in FIG. 7.

Thus, embodiments of the three dimensional pictorial representationshave been shown and described herein which satisfy all of the abovementioned objects and advantages.

I claim as my invention:

1. A composite pictorial representation having a three dimensionaleffect comprising in combination:

a relatively deep frame structure adapted to receive the compositepictorial representation therein;

a backing material engageable with the rear portions of said framestructure,

a composite pictorial representation attached to said backing materialand adapted to be viewed from the front side of said frame structure,said composite pictorial representation comprising multiple copies of apicture for which the three dimensional effect is to be achieved, saidpicture having background, middle ground and foreground subject mattertherein, one of said copies of said picture being attached to saidbacking material, another of said pictures being trimmed to have onlymiddle ground subject matter remaining and still another of saidpictures being trimmed so that only the foreground subject matterremains, said middle ground subject matter being attached in overlyingspaced relation to said picture attached to said backing material, saidforeground subject matter being attached to said attached middle groundsub ject matter in overlying spaced relation, and selected ones of saidforeground and middle ground subject matter portions being individuallybent to slopingly converge horizontally and vertically upon subadjacentportions to simulate the natural continuity of the subject matter of thepicture and to produce a composite pictorial represention having saidbackground, middle ground and foreground subject matter of said pictureappearing in generally successively forwardly spaced relation to providea visual three dimensional effect of the subject matter of said picture.

2. A composite pictorial representation as defined in claim I whereinselected ones of said foreground subject matter portions areindividually curved to simulate the natural curvature of the subjectmatter of said picture and to provide further three dimensional depth ofsaid composite pictorial representation.

3. The composite pictorial representation as defined in claim 1 whereinanother copy of said picture is trimmed leaving only preselectedportions of said foreground subject matter, said preselected portionsbeing individually curved to simulate the natural curvature of thesubject matter of said picture and being attached to said foregroundsubject matter in overlying spaced relation to simulate additional depthof the subject matter of said composite pictorial representation.

4. The composite pictorial representation as defined in claim I whereinsaid middle ground and foreground subject matter are adhesively attachedin spaced relation by a number of spacers made of lightweight deformablematerial to facilitate bending selected ones of said middle andforeground portions.

a s a: 1

1. A composite pictorial representation having a three dimensionaleffect comprising in combination: a relatively deep frame structureadapted to receive the composite pictorial representation therein; abacking material engageable with the rear portions of said framestructure; a composite pictorial representation attached to said backingmaterial and adapted to be viewed from the front side of said framestructure, said composite pictorial representation comprising multiplecopies of a picture for which the three dimensional effect is to beachieved, said picture having background, middle ground and foregroundsubject matter therein, one of said copies of said picture beingattached to said backing material, another of said pictures beingtrimmed to have only middle ground subject matter remaining and stillanother of said pictures being trimmed so that only the foregroundsubject matter remains, said middle ground subject matter being attachedin overlying spaced relation to said picture attached to said backingmaterial, said foreground subject matter being attached to said attachedmiddle ground subject matter in overlying spaced relation, and selectedones of said foreground and middle ground subject matter portions beingindividually bent to slopingly converge horizontally and vertically uponsubadjacent portions to simulate the natural continuity of the subjectmatter of the picture and to produce a composite pictorial representionhaving said background, middle ground and foreground subject matter ofsaid picture appearing in generally successively forwardly spacedrelation to provide a visual three dimensional effect of the subjectmatter of said picture.
 2. A composite pictorial representation asdefined in claim 1 wherein selected ones of said foreground subjectmatter portions are individually curved to simulate the naturalcurvature of the subject matter of said picture and to provide furtherthree dimensional depth of said composite pictorial representation. 3.The composite pictorial representation as defined in claim 1 whereinanother copy of said picture is trimmed leaving only preselectedportions of said foreground subject matter, said preselected portionsbeing individually curved to simulate the natural curvature of thesubject matter of said picture and being attached to said foregroundsubject matter in overlying spaced relation to simulate additional depthof the subject matter of said composite pictorial representation.
 4. Thecomposite pictorial representation as defined in claim 1 wherein saidmiddle ground and foreground subject matter are adhesively attached inspaced relation by a number of spacers made of lightweight deformablematerial to facilitate bending selected ones of said middle andforeground portions.